Major UK Jewish Group ‘Disappointed’ at Lack of Repercussions Over Labour MP’s Antisemitic Remarks

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British Member of Parliament Gerald Kaufman. Photo: Wikipedia.

The UK Jewish Leadership Council expressed disappointment in the lack of action taken by the Labour Party over remarks by one of its MPs, Sir Gerald Kaufman, stating that Jewish money and donations were influencing the Conservative British government’s Israel policy.

The group apparently received no response from the Labour Party whip after requesting an apology and demanding such statements be met with punishment in the future.

“The response from the Labour Party Chief Whip to our letter is disappointing,” said JLC CEO Simon Johnson, in a statement to the press.

“There is no call for an apology from Sir Gerald; nor has there been an apology,” he said. “There is also no indication that if similar comments are made in the future, by Sir Gerald or any of his colleagues, that there would be any consequences or disciplinary sanctions.”

“It’s Jewish money, Jewish donations, to the Conservative party as in the general election in May, support from the Jewish Chronicle, all of those things, bias the Conservatives,” said Kaufman during a gathering of the Palestine Return Centre earlier this month.

Kaufman also said Israel had fabricated some of the recent knifing attacks committed by Palestinians, amid a wave of terrorist attacks against Israelis that has continued since the Jewish high holidays.

Labour chief Jeremy Corbyn condemned Kaufman’s remarks last week, saying they were damaging to relations between Labour and the Jewish community.

Kaufman apparently met with the Labour Party whip, who expressed Corbyn’s concerns. But the MP has yet to agree to Jewish groups’ demand that he apologize, and apparently no punitive measures were taken.